Hoi An Cooking Class: Make Spring Rolls & Catch Crabs

You paddle a round bamboo boat into a coconut forest to catch purple crabs before cooking lunch.

A cooking class in Hoi An's Cam Thanh fishing village where you make five dishes from scratch (spring rolls, rice crispy pancakes, banana flowers salad, beef noodles and aubergine with tomato sauce) after paddling a traditional bamboo boat through coconut waterways to catch crabs with a local fisherman. Hotel pickup, lunch and an English-speaking guide are included. The class runs about five hours and ends with you eating what you cooked.

The experience

The morning starts at your hotel in Hoi An, where a van picks you up and takes you to the local market. You walk through the noise and activity, seeing what the fishermen and home cooks buy, then head to Cam Thanh fishing village. There you step into a round bamboo boat, the kind locals use for fishing, and paddle into the coconut forest waterways with a fisherman. You help catch purple crabs and take photos while the water and trees close in around you.

Back on land, the hands-on cooking begins. You learn to mark rice paper the traditional way, which is the highlight of the class, then use it to wrap fresh spring rolls. You make sweet and sour fish sauce (or soya sauce if you request it), banana flowers salad, rice crispy pancakes, beef noodles and aubergine with tomato sauce. The chef, your English-speaking guide, walks you through each step. If you have dietary requests, the kitchen swaps ingredients and keeps the same menu.

At midday you sit down and eat everything you made, washed down with Vietnamese tea. The van drops you back at your hotel or wherever you ask by 1:30 pm.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off from Hoi An.
• bamboo boat ride through Cam Thanh fishing village's coconut forest waterways.
• hands-on cooking instruction in five dishes.
• lunch (the food you prepare).
• Vietnamese tea.
• English-speaking guide and chef.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:30

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (13 to 80 years) · Youth (7 to 12 years) · Child (under 7): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 11 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Hoi An Eco Cooking Class

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English throughout, so you follow every step of the cooking and the boat ride without translation delays. This suits anyone who wants to learn technique and understand what they're making, rather than just watch a demonstration.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (7 to 12 years); Child (under 7): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What do I actually cook in the Hoi An cooking class?

You make five dishes: fresh spring rolls, rice crispy pancakes, banana flowers salad, beef noodles and aubergine with tomato sauce. The class also teaches you to mark rice paper by hand, which is the signature technique of the experience.

Do I really get in a bamboo boat before cooking?

Yes. Before the class starts, you paddle a traditional round bamboo boat through the coconut forest waterways in Cam Thanh fishing village with a local fisherman, helping to catch purple crabs and taking photos along the way.

What's included in the price?

Hotel pickup and drop-off from Hoi An, the bamboo boat ride, the cooking class with an English-speaking guide, lunch (the dishes you cook), and Vietnamese tea are all included. Pickup from Da Nang hotels costs extra.

How long does the whole experience take?

The class runs about five hours from pickup at your hotel until drop-off, starting at 8 am. You're back by 1:30 pm.

Can I do this if I have dietary restrictions?

Yes. The kitchen can swap ingredients to match vegan requests or other dietary needs while keeping the same menu and cooking techniques.